Study 13: Conquering the Promised Land part A

The Book of Joshua can be divided into two: (1) The entrance of the people into Canaan and the conflicts. (2) The division of the land.

1. The entrance commanded and success promised (1:1-18)

   • Joshua 1:8: importance of the Book of the Law; first mention of the Scriptures

2. The spies and Rahab's faith (2:1-24)

   • Three days
   • Scarlet cord
   • Faith of Rahab Hebrews 11:31
   • Messianic line Matthew 1:5

3. The passage over the Jordan (3:1-17)

   • The memorial stones (4:1-24)

4. At Gilgal (5:1-15)

   • Circumcision (1-9)
   • Named Gilgal (9), meaning to roll away, rolling (eastern side of Jericho)
   • Passover (10,11)
   • Cessation of Manna (12)

5. The Land is conquered (5:13-12:24)

   • Joshua meets God – a theophany (5:13-6:5)

   • • A theophany is a visible manifestation of God, call the Shechinah in rabbinic writings. See also Numbers 22:23, 31; 1 Chronicles 21:16. It is not merely an angelic being – observe the actions of Joshua and read Revelation 22:8, 9

   • The fall of Jericho (6:1-27)

     • Preparation and instructions (6:6-11)
     • Six days (6:12-14)
     • Sabbat (6:15-21)
       1. Things cherem (anathema in Greek) had to be destroyed; translated as devoted or accursed or designated for destruction. Used to describe the holy articles in the Temple – so cherem means set aside; set aside for destruction or set aside for God’s use.
       2. Wall totally destroyed except for Rahab’s portion (Hebrews 11:30)
       3. Rahab is rescued (6:22-25; Hebrews 11:31)
       4. Curse on rebuilding (6:26, 27); see 1 Kings 16:34

   • Achan's sin and Israel's defeat (7:1-26)

     • God reveals the sinners by elimination
     • Elimination was in four stages
     • Elimination emphasized the whole nation being involved in this sin but focused on the guilty individual.
     • Rabbinic tradition holds that the Urim and the Thummim (which means lights and perfections), that respond to binary questions, lighting up to say yes.
     • Judgement and punishment involved the entire nation (22-26) for failing under cherem

To be continued